The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-03-24
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught BY a Stady or the later
national Sundsy-SchoOl Lesson Appointed for
April 3. Gen, % 1856.


SUBJECT: JOSEPH SOLD INTO EGYPT.
We now pass from PeaieI to Dothan. We
left Jacob prince IN prayer, and about ready
TO meet his brother Esau. His name be-
came Israel. 90 :2S; 35:l0) From Peniel
he went to Succoth. (32 ~ Then he went
TO Shalem. 1S.) Next be went to Bethel.
t35:6) Now, we read of him at Bethlehem.
Benjamin was born there, and there his
mother, Rachel, died. At length he reached
Hebron, i27,) finding his father still alive. lie
had been absent probably as many as 40 years.
Meanwhile he had married four wives, had II
sons and two daughters, and had become
wealthy. lie found his wives in Padan-aram,
and there all his children except Benjamin
were born. At Bethlehem his most loved wife
died. At the age of % he settled down in
Hebron. (35:27.)
The prominent figure now before US is
Joseph, the next to the youngest son of Jacob.
His mother was Rachel, and his own brother
was Benjamin. The mother was dead. 1t
seems Jacob was very partial toward Joseph,
and this fact Occasioned much domestic fric-
tion. grand destiny was before Joseph, of
which he had dreams. These dreams were
doubtless of supernatural origin. Their inter
probation magnified Joseph's position and i'm
pOrtance above those of his brothers, and in
deed above those of even his father. Jacobs
greater regard for Joseph manifested itself in
paternal favOritism. Excess of love for this
son was shown, {. o., in providing him more ex-
pensive apparel than for the other children.
t31:2, 81 The consequence was jealousy.
The brothers hated Joseph. They even be-
came murderOus, and only awaited conyen-
lent opportunity 10 waylay him.
Jacob was graZier and herdman. He had
some pasture lands in the neighborhOOd of
Shechem. (33: Is, 49, and, though he resided at
Hebron, he utilized his northern ranches for
his flocks, sending some of his sons thither to
care for the sheep. Becoming anxious as to
his sons and fiocks so far off, he sent Joseph up
TO find out aud report the state of things at
Shechem. BY the time Joseph reached
Shechem his brothers had moved up farther
north, to the vicinity of DOthan, and so he set
out to join them. At fist sight of him, the
brothers thought their opportunity had come
TO put him out Of the way. His father had
given him rare coat. (37: b That garment
they snatched of from him. 81 23.) Reu-
ben and Judah took his part. Rather than
take his blood it was suggested by Reuben
they cast him into pit TO starye. Reuben in-
tended TO rescue him. Judah limited it would
be better 10 sell him TO some merchants as a
slave, and let him be taken down TO Egypt.
This proposition prevailed.
We learn that at the time OF his visit to Do
than he was IL years old. (37:2) The date
of our lesson is 2276 A. NJ. We find from AZ : 9
that Jacob was 130 years old when he went
down into Egypt Joseph was 80 years old
when he became Governor Of Egypt. al :i6. }
Just after, followed seven years OF plenty.
| al: Al Then succeeded two years of want.
| As: H. Hence, Joseph was 30 years of age
when his father was $50. Therefore Joseph
was born when his father was 81. But Jacob
was born PIGS A. NJ. 1t follows Joseph was
born in the year 22j9 A. NJ. Add II, 1872 p
and we have 2276 \. NJ. the date Of Joseph's
sale. Abraham had been dead 16 years when
| Joseph was born. Isaac was 165 years old at
the birth Of Joseph, ana lived II years after his
/ birth. At the time of our lesson, Isaac had
been dead five years.
Shechcm was in the valley between Mounts
! Ebal and GeTizim. 1t was Abrams first known
stopping place in Canaan. (l2:6) 1t was seven
miles southeast Of Samaria. 81 north OF Jerusa.
/ lem, 81 from Hebron, 10 south Of Dothan
! From Hebron TO DOthan is therefore 60 miles
and this, hence, is the distance gone by Joseph
To overtake his brothers. Having gone "a
miles from home Hebron TO Shechem,l 1t must
/ have seemed discouraging TO be necessitated tC
1 go 10 miles farther. Dothan was II miles north
of Samaria. Elisha lived at Dothan for a time
/ u XII, g: 49, The first mention oil the locality
in the Bible is in our lesson. The place is still
pointed out to the traveller. IL bears its old
name, Dothan. The region all south Of il i.
very rich in pasturagc. We remember how
| distressed the servant of Elisha was when sur
rounded by foes at this same DOthan. We recal
the forces which came 10 the assistance of the
prophet. Elisha prayed that the young man.
eyes might be opened so he could see there
were more for his master tElishal and for him
self than for their enemies. e XII, 6: rs. Il.
Could the eyes of Joseph have been so opened
| that he could have seen beforehand his gTanI
| future in Egypt growing out from the abuse ht
received at DOthan-his SALE his slavery, hi
Governorship, etc.-he could well have wei
coined all his trials. Two very interesting
| events associate themselves i'm the mind Of tn
| Bible reader when he thinks of DOthan. 4
the mention Of the word two Representative
characters tower up-Joseph and Elisha.
The hard feelings Of JCseph's brothers towar'
him originated from two causes: first, the fac
the father showed great and offensive partalit.
for him. and. secondly, the fict Joseph ha'
a habit of dreaming he was TO be superior L
all his brothers and even to tower over hi
father, aud, worse yet, practice of interpret
ing his dreams in the hearing of the brothers
We do not read that Joseph was Intentionally
overbcaring in his variations, but the very fac
the dreams were unfavOrable to the brother
maddened them. The fault if any, was due (
Providence. but Joseph was obliged to suffer u
being the agent of information of Gods will.
The very sight of Joseph enraged the broth
ers. They looked on him also as a sort of spy
who on returning TO their father would Tel
/
coat, as the symbol of their fathers partiality
specially offended them. They seized on il an
pulled il from his shoulders, transferring {
the garment their dislike Of their father
preference of Joseph and their own hatred {
the wcareT. They east their brother into pi
not to drown, but TO staTve. Thus they wcI
spared butchering him or witnessing his deatl
We see their hardness Of heart in that withOu
remor-e, they could sit down uncOncernedl
and eat while their brother agonized in the pi
alarmed as TO his fate aud panied at the III
, brotherly treatment.
While lunching they chanced to see in tf
distance an approaching caravan on way frOI
Damascus TO Egypt Those were days whe
slavery was common, aud those were place
4 where persons were bought and sold as cha
tells. The thought occurred to the brother
that they might sell Joseph TO these trader
/ Covetousness asserted itself Judah though
it would be less criminal to dispose Of JOsep
c thus, than 10 be the direct cause Of his dealt
The bargain was struck, the money receives
the brother handed over TO the merchants, an
\ the caravan passed on toward Egypt Try
1 imagine the feelings of Joseph! Think of Il
y heartlessness Of the brOthers Vain men,
{ imagine thus TO frustrate Gods purpose
: What carrd they for the feelings of their vel
r cradle father! Heartless children! Cruel brot
L eTs Shameless sinners!
: 1t seems Reuben was not a party to the sal
" 1t was his plan TO give escape TO Joseph. q
e ing 10 the pit for that purpose he was great
Il distressed to find Joseph not in it.
IA Sin leads 10 sin. Effort and ingenuity a
demanded TO cover up evil doing. Some expl
/ nation must be made to their father. Tn,
e pretended Joseph had been killed. To NAL
l. the matter unquestionable, they slew a k